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Emergence Capital Partners CERTIFIED

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FIRM OVERVIEW: Large Private VC founded in 2002 based out of San Mateo, USA (US West)

FIRM DESCRIPTION: Emergence Capital Partners is a leading venture capital firm focused on early and growth-stage Technology-Enabled Services investing. Our mission is to help build market leading, successful businesses in partnership with great entrepreneurs. Our partners have funded and helped build over 25 TES companies, more than any other early-stage venture firm. Having assessed thousands of companies in the TES sector, we have developed significant expertise and resources focused on the critical factors of success in our market. Our focus and team-based approach allow us to create unique value for our service-based portfolio companies.

Very good experience pitching to Brian Jacobs. Understood very fast what we're doing and had good suggestions. Wants us to have more traction which is a standard response (a nice way for a VC to turn you down"), but was specific about the milestones that would make them interested. Overall a positive experience.

I had two meetings with emergence, and we continue to talk. Matt Holleran has been extremely helpful with incredible follow up and he even rolled up his sleeves to improve my pitch for my second meeting with Emergence. He continues to help me and provide insight an introductions.

Jason Green is very smart, thoughtful, and quickly get's to the right questions. Folks that find him abrasive are either unprepared or over sensitive. I'm working to get Emergence in my A round. They get it.

Posted by
jasonlk
on 2008-02-27

PUBLIC:

If you are building an on-demand company, first, try to avoid VC funding and try to fund it from cashflow.

Failing that, try to get Emergence. The bottom line is the team there has spend the best part of the past 5 years doing nothing but invest in the SaaS/on-demand ecosystem. As a result, for us, they have done an outstanding job with candidates, and insights into our business model that can only come when you have multiple partners just living and breathing basically more or less one thing.

They do not have the biggest fund so obviously alone they can't take you all the way there. But if you have some early traction in on-demand and want to grow, try to get them. It has worked out very well for us.

Posted by
Daniel Dreymann
on 2011-04-27

PUBLIC:

As the founder of Goodmail Systems, I had the pleasure to work with the folks at Emergence Capital for several years. EmCap, participated in Goodmail’s first institutional round and in all subsequent financings. Jason Green is a superb board member: hands-on, involved, but always supportive of the executive team. He supported the company through good times and bad times. Beyond Jason’s personal contribution, we benefited from the entire Emergence crew, a team of great people with experience and connections, and a willingness to put these to work. We got great assists from Gordon, Brian and Kevin. Another privilege is that EmCap formed a SaaS “Keiretsu” – they have an unmatched portfolio of SaaS companies and they organize a multitude of events to enable exchange of information and ideas at multiple levels (CEO to CEO, CFO to CFO, VP Ops to VP Ops, CMO to CMO, etc.) - if you can get EmCap to invest in your SaaS company, do it!

Posted by
tonylmai
on 2014-03-31

PUBLIC:

I pitched to Santi over the phone today.

As scheduled, Santi called and from his intro, I realized they are only into B2B. But I asked if he would listen to my pitch and he agreed. He was very engaged, grilled me with questions and in the end offered his advice including encouragement that there are roots in my start-up.

Overall, I felt great about my pitch with Santi. The guy is a gentlemen. Would love to pitch to EmCap again someday.

Posted by
sullivan
on 2008-06-03

PUBLIC:

We presented to Emergence. I found them to be very professional, able to move on aggressive timelines, and consistent in following through on their verbal commitments to us. They ultimately decided that our opportunity was a difficult fit for them and passed. But I would nonetheless recommend that any TES-like company seeking early stage or modest growth equity financing consider Emergence. One note on their approach -- They do get to the gist of matters quickly and ask good questions that some on this site have interpreted as slightly abrasive. I found them polite at nearly every turn and the tougher questions are the ones that show actual intellectual engagement. No need to be nervous.

Posted by
Anon
on 2007-08-21

PUBLIC:

Had a short meeting with Gordon Ritter. Super sharp and understood the SaaS business better than any VC I've met. He's also pretty realistic which highlights his operational background. We're not currently in the market again for funding but he'd be on my very short list.